The Most Sinister of All Things
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: Shadows Within; Children of the Darkness. As the team investigates a potentially supernatural unsub with a taste for children, the kids face an equally terrifying foe. In the end, this may be the case that finally breaks them all.
1. Chapter 1

Criminal Minds © CBS. Supernatural © the CW. Rizzoli and Isles © TNT. Sinister © Alliance Films.

An: For continuity sake, say the first COTD story took place after the last SW story. This story would be the last of the Shadows Within (for now), and the second of the Children of the Darkness. Jack and Jane are still 13, Frankie and Henry are still 11.

Also, was I the only one who, while watching the movie Sinister, thought, "Man, if you took out the paranormal stuff, made it a cult, and put in one kick-ass FBI team, this movie would be so much better"? Just me?

**ch 1**

The team gathers together in the round room. JJ doesn't waste time. "We have an odd one." she says. She brings up the pictures on the screen. "About six months ago, kids started disappearing in rural Kansas. So far, four have gone missing, but that's not the worst of it." She clicks a button, and the pictures of the kids move to the side of the screen, replaced by images of bloody bodies.

Garcia startles and looks away. "Warn a girl, will you?"

Morgan ignores her. "The hell happened to them?"

"These are the fathers of the missing kids." JJ says, grimacing. "They've all had their throats torn out and their stomachs opened. They were all killed three days after the kids went missing from their bedrooms, and all were found in the kids' rooms."

Hotch speaks up. "The fourth child was taken this morning. The locals have put a protective detail on the father. They're hoping whoever is doing this will be caught when he goes after the father."

"You don't sound convinced of that." Rossi says, flipping through his file.

Prentiss sighs. "No discernible points of entrance?"

"Yeah, it's one of the things that connect the kidnappings with the murders." JJ explains. "There's no sign of forced entry, no windows opened, no broken glass – nothing. It's like the kids just disappeared into thin air. It's the same with the murders."

"This doesn't sound like our usual case." Morgan warns.

"I know." Hotch says. _Which is why I want Reid to contact Bobby Singer. Find out if he knows anything about their kind of unsubs that take children._ Reid nods and leaves the room. Hotch turns his attention to Morgan. _Get Reid's go-bag. He'll get the special bag and meet us at the jet._ Morgan nods. Hotch glances around at the entire team.

"Wheels up in 20."

/-/

Reid uses Garcia's office to make his phone call. The only person that will come in is Garcia (she's even forbidden Kevin access), so no one will overhear the conversation. He dials Bobby's number from memory. It rings once. _"Hello."_

He smiles. "Bobby. It's Spencer Reid."

The old man's voice brightens considerably. _"Hey kid. Whatcha up to?"_

"Work mostly. Actually, I have a quick question for you."

"_Sure thing."_

"What do you know about child abductions?"

There's a brief pause. _"My kind or yours?"_

"Yours." Reid sighs. "We've got a case. Youngest child goes missing, three days later the father dies. No discernible point of entry."

Bobby sighs. _"Well, I can't think of any off-hand, but I'll poke around the books, see what I can come up with. You guys be careful. The last thing you want is to cross something powerful before you're ready."_ Reid nods, even though the other man can't see it. Bobby continues. _"And Spencer? Thanks – for what you did for my boys."_

He grins. "You're welcome." A thought occurs to him. "If you come across something you think we'll need help with, send Dean and Sam and let me know so we can cover for them."

"_Will do kid. Take care, all right?"_

"Sure thing, Bobby."

On the other end of the line, Bobby sighs as the young FBI agent hangs up. With those last three words, he sounded just like one of Bobby's boys, and that makes him nervous. Dean and Sam always find trouble, no matter what, and from the sounds of it, Spencer is just like them. He looks down at his cell phone and sighs again.

"Cas, I hope like hell yer watching over him."

/-/

On the jet, the team can discuss the particulars of the case without fear of who will overhear. Garcia watches them through the laptop. They couldn't get it cleared through Strauss to have her come along. At least she'll be safe back at headquarters.

"Baby girl, is there anything else you can tell us about the victims?" Morgan asks.

"_Well, for the kids, you've got one 12 year old loner, two 6 year olds who were apparently best friends, and the latest is an 8 year old little girl who has a connection back to the 12 year old – apparently he supervised a swim team she was on six months ago. They've kept in contact."_

"And the fathers?" Hotch asks.

"_Not so much. A lawyer, a desk clerk, a gas station attendant, and an author."_

Hotch sighs. "So, the kids are the commonality."

"In as much as there is one." Reid says. "I mean, there's four kids with two groups of friends. How the groups relate is how we'll find the real connection."

"Anyone curious about how a 12 year old boy keeps in contact with an 8 year old girl?" Prentiss asks. "Most boys that age don't want anything to do with little girls."

JJ shudders. "I'm voting he's the exception. This case is bad enough as is." Garcia nods in agreement.

"_Well, Strauss is coming, so if you guys need anything, you know how to find me. Peace out!"_ With that Garcia's screen goes blank. Morgan shakes his head.

"We've got to do something about Strauss."

"Let her stalk us." Rossi says with a snort. "The more evidence we gather against her, the better our chances of having her fired."

"Then we get the evil we don't know." JJ says.

"Let's just focus on the case, guys." Hotch points out. With that the team goes back to their files.

Still, Hotch can't stop the feeling that there's something terribly wrong with this case.


	2. Chapter 2

**ch 2**

Like they usually do when the team is on a mission, Jane and Frankie Rizzoli spend the night at Jack and Henry's place. Jack meets them at the door with a grin. "You didn't even bother to call this time." he says. "Aunt Jessica is gonna get suspicious." Jane rolls her eyes and walks inside, Frankie on her heels. Jack hugs the two of them. "Henry's upstairs."

Frankie grins. "I'll go surprise him!" He takes off up the stairs. Jane shakes her head.

"Good luck with that." she says. Jack smiles, but it fades quickly. Something is bothering Jane. Even without their connection, he can see it – her shoulders are hunched, her smile not quite as big. He touches her shoulder. "Something wrong?"

Before Jane can answer, Jessica walks in from the kitchen. "I thought I heard you walk in." she says. "Where's Frankie?"

"He already went upstairs." Jane says. "Nice to see you again, Miss Jessica." She glances at Jack. _I'll tell you later tonight._

_No. Now._ "Aunt Jessica, we're gonna go upstairs and work on homework." Jack says. "There's a huge test tomorrow that Jane and I have to study for, and Frankie and Henry need help with their math." Jessica laughs.

"I know a 'do not disturb' when I hear one." she says. "Go, shoo, have fun. Don't study too hard – you're already serious enough, little man." Jane almost chokes on her laughter as they retreat up the stairs.

_Serious enough. Dang, she sure knows you._ she teases.

_Shut up._ Jack says, but there's no real heat in his voice. At least she's not teasing him about being called 'little man'. Jack hates that nickname. He doesn't remember much from when his real mother was alive, but he does remember that she called him that all the time. Her little man. He hates it. Jane glances at him again.

_You know, I never did figure out why._ she says. _All mas call their boys that. My ma calls Frankie that. Your ma calls Henry that._

_Mom doesn't call me that._ Jack says simply. _That's from before. Dad doesn't even call me that anymore. I think it makes him remember._

Understanding flashes through Jane. _It makes you remember too._ She remembers the first time she learned what happened to Jack's first ma. It was right after a really bad case, and Jane and Frankie spent the night over as a distraction for Jack and Henry. Hotch had a nightmare, and Jane saw it. She wasn't sure who woke up more terrified – her or Hotch. After everyone got both of them calmed down, Hotch pulled her aside and explained what happened.

She's never seen that much pain on one person's face before. She hopes she never will again.

They make it to Jack and Henry's room. Henry and Frankie are already sitting on Henry's bed, waiting for them. Henry looks at Jane. _Frankie told me something is wrong._ he says. Ever since they learned this trick, Henry rarely speaks aloud. Jane gives Frankie a dirty look.

_Thanks a lot._

_What? You're gonna tell Jack anyway, aren't you? You should tell Henry too._

Jack looks between the two of them. _Tell me what?_

Jane sighs and sits down on Jack's bed. _I'm being followed._

Jack goes cold. He's read a few case files JJ brings home (he's not supposed to read them, but he was curious) and knows how a stalking can end. He's seen the pictures. The idea of Jane being the one to die – his mind automatically rejects it. It simply can't happen. _By who?_

_That's the problem. I don't know._ Jane wraps her arms around herself. _I've seen him a few times, but – _She cuts herself off and looks away. Jack sighs and kneels down in front of her, forcing her to look at him. She smiles ruefully. _You're good at this._

_Jane. But what?_

_He doesn't have a face._

Jack blinks. _Huh?_ It's not the most intelligent thing he could have said, but that wasn't what he expected to hear. Jane touches his temple, and suddenly he's presented with the image of what she saw the only time she's gotten a good look at him.

He's tall, wearing a suit, and quite clearly has no face. From that distance, there's no way to tell if he's got on a ski mask or something, but the image is chilling either way. It fades. _You're right. No face._

_He looks like the Slenderman._ Henry says abruptly. At Frankie's look, he adds, _What? He's tall, always wears a suit, doesn't have a face, and stalks people._

_He also lives in the woods._ Frankie points out. _This is DC. There are no woods._

_Who the hell is the Slenderman?_ Jack demands. Jane shakes her head.

_Urban legend the younger ones have been passing around._ she says. _Someone pulled it from the internet, and now it's spreading._

Jack shakes his head. _I doubt it's the Slenderman, Henry._ he says. _It could be someone pretending to be, though. We'll keep an eye out._

/-/

Late that night, long after Jane has fallen asleep, the boys convene in the kitchen. _What are we gonna do?_ Frankie demands. _Slenderman or not, I saw him too. He's really after her._

_I dunno what the cops can do with that description though._ Henry says. _It's not like he's leaving fingerprints or anything. He's just following her._

_Henry's right._ Jack says. He hates it, but Henry's right. _Until we get something solid to go to the cops with, there's nothing they can do. We're gonna have to protect Jane ourselves. _Henry and Frankie nod. Jack smiles faintly. _First things first – let's get some sleep. We can't protect her if we're dog tired._ The boys pout about that, but they do return to their room and curl up together on Henry's bed.

Jack goes to his bed and slides in behind Jane. She curls up into him. Jack smiles. Here, Jane is safe. Here, nothing can touch any of them, because they're all together. It may be a child's dream, but Jack knows it's true. As long as they're together, they're safe.

He closes his eyes and lets sleep take him.


	3. Chapter 3

**ch 3**

Circumstances find Dean and Sam back near Lawrence, Kansas. Dean doesn't like it, and his unease almost swamps Sam. This connection between them is still frighteningly new. With practice, they've learned how to talk without speaking, how to tune each other out when necessary, and exactly how far they can go before they lose close contact.

Right now, Castiel is nothing more than a warmth in the back of their minds. He's so far away they can no longer hear his voice, and that has them both on edge. In fact, it's probably the reason being so close to Lawrence is bothering Dean as bad as it is.

"If you don't calm down, you're going to drive off the road." Sam says calmly.

Dean glares at him. "Shut up, Sammy."

"Just saying. I don't want to die."

_If we're anything like Spencer, we won't die. Not because of that._ It's a stray thought, but Sam hears it anyway. Briefly, he wonders how Spencer's team got used to hearing each other all the time. It's something he'll have to ask them if he ever sees them again. Dean glances at him. "Sorry. I'm just a little off today."

"A little?" The smart remark comes second nature. "Dude, Cas is okay. If he wasn't, we would know about it."

"You don't even believe that." Dean says quietly. "You think he's in trouble too, and he's just too stubborn to ask for help."

_Actually, I think he's in trouble, and too far away to call for help._ Sam retorts. He deliberately chooses not to speak aloud, just to drive his point home. For a brief moment, he thinks Dean is going to punch him. His brother is definitely considering it. Before either of them can react, however, the cell phone rings. Sam perks up. _Bobby? Maybe he has something for us._

_Maybe._ Dean answers it. "Yeah."

"_How close are ya to Lawrence?"_

Dean groans. "Bobby. How did you know that's the last place I wanna go?" Sam chokes on his laughter. Dean gives him the finger (which takes some talent when you're driving and talking on the phone). "Why do we need to go there?"

"_That's where our friendly neighborhood FBI are headed. They got a new case, and I think you guys should be on it."_ He gives them a brief description of what's happening. Sam flinches.

"Definitely sounds like one of ours." he says. He glances at Dean. _It'll get our mind off of things, at any rate._

Dean doesn't even acknowledge that. "Tell the feds we'll meet them there."

/-/

In Lawrence, the FBI finally meet with the lead detective on the case. Detective Farrow is a tall, lanky man, with thinning blond hair and a disposition that says he can't take any more of this. He's a detective for a town that's so small it doesn't really need one, and it shows. He shakes their hands. "I'm so glad you all could come."

"I'm Agent Hotchner, these are Agents Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, and Reid." Hotch says. "Our technical analyst is back in DC; her name is Garcia." Farrow's eyes linger on Reid for just a moment, then he shrugs. Hotch glances at Reid; the youngest agent has a small, amused smile on his face. _Did I miss something?_

_Farrow thought I was an odd choice for FBI._ Reid says. _Then he realized he was an odd choice for detective._ Hotch has to hide his smirk. Farrow decides to show them back to their room, but before they leave, the door opens and two more FBI agents walk in. The group turns around.

It's a good thing Reid has a quick reaction time. Hotch knew there was the possibility of those two showing up, but he can't get past the shock fast enough for a believable reaction. Reid can.

"Oh, good, you made it." He walks over to Sam and Dean. "Strauss said you might come. Farrow, these are Agents Jackson and Dobbs; they're our occult crime specialists."

Farrow shakes their hands. "You think there might be a cult behind this?"

"No sir." Dean is quick to follow Reid's lead. "But it's our job to assist in all crimes that appear ritualistic, just in case."

Farrow nods. "Well, it's kind of cramped, but we've got enough room for all of you." He guides them to the back room. "This is all the data we've managed to gather about the families and the crime scenes."

Hotch nods. "Detective, would you take Rossi and JJ to the newest crime scene? It helps if we can see where these events take place." Farrow nods and the three leave the room. As soon as there is silence, Hotch turns to Dean and Sam. "Impersonating federal agents?"

"We've done worse than FBI." Dean says with a grin.

Sam rolls his eyes. "And he wonders why we have warrants."

"It would be unprofessional of me to elbow you in the ribs." Before Sam can retort – although he does send Dean an image of what happened last time the two got into a prank war – Dean turns to the evidence board. "We've never investigated something this way. How does it work?"

"Sit back and watch, boys." Prentiss says with a small smile. She turns her attention to the board. "So, four kids with basically nothing in common. Four fathers that definitely have nothing in common. What gives? There's always a pattern, right?"

"Not always." Reid says. "Sometimes it's just opportunity."

"Not with these." Morgan replies. "It takes some serious stalking time to figure out how to get into a house, do this, and leave without being detected. This guy is patient and methodical."

"You know, there are other ways of getting in and out undetected." Sam says.

"Until we get proof otherwise, we're treating this like it were a human unsub." Hotch says. Morgan's phone rings. He flips it open.

"Talk to me, baby girl."

"_I have our connection."_

Now she has everyone's attention. Hotch sighs. "What is it?"

"_They all appear to be victims of emotional neglect and abuse."_ Garcia says. They can hear her tapping away on keys as she speaks. _"Each one of our victims has visited their school guidance counselors several times a week for the past six to twelve months. Even though no reports were filed, the police were called out to each house once. I talked to the dispatcher – she said the calls came in anonymously, claiming child abuse, but nothing could be proven. The cases had to be dropped."_

"That explains the violence against the fathers." Sam says. "Maybe whoever made these calls got tired of no one listening and decided to take matters into their own hands."

"_Ding ding, now you're thinking like a profiler!"_ Garcia teases. _"I'll call back when I know more. Peace!"_ The phone clicks off. Hotch turns and leaves the room. Dean watches him go.

"What's that about?"

"If there was a call to the cops, Farrow would know about it." Prentiss explains. "And he didn't tell us. Hotch hates being lied to."

Reid grins. "There's gonna be a show when Farrow gets back."

"Yep." Prentiss flashes him a grin. "Ten bucks says Farrow tells him he didn't want to tarnish good names with hearsay."

Reid laughs. "Ten bucks says Hotch rips him a new one about withholding evidence."

Morgan rolls his eyes. "Get the feeling this happens often?"

Sam and Dean just laugh.


	4. Chapter 4

**ch 4**

Ever since Uncle Bobby came into their lives, Uncle Spencer gained a few new books that the boys are never allowed to touch. Uncle Spencer keeps them hidden somewhere in the house, and Jack doesn't think his genius uncle would leave them in his own room. Still, that's where he and Henry start looking the next day, after Jane and Frankie go home.

_We're gonna get in so much trouble if Dad finds out about this._ Henry says.

_Yeah, well, I'm sure they won't mind when we tell them why._ Actually, he's surprised Uncle Spencer hasn't informed Dad of what's going on yet. It must be a pretty serious case for Uncle Spencer to have not called by now. That scares him a little, but the boys know their family. Nothing can hurt them. Not anymore.

They dig around Uncle Spencer's room, being careful to put everything back into place after they search. Sooner or later, they'll have to tell Mom and Dad that they went snooping, but the boys would rather do that after their family gets home and relaxes a bit.

_Not here. _Henry says. _Are we surprised?_

_Of course not. Let's check the basement. I can't imagine Uncle David or even Dad keeping something like that._ Jack says. Henry nods. They leave Uncle Spencer's room and head down to the basement. Aunt Jessica sleeps soundly on the couch. She won't even notice they're gone.

The basement, as a general rule, is off-limits to the boys. It's really the only place that is. The basement is where case files are kept, the few times the team is unable to keep their work away from home. There are old pieces of furniture and shelves on the walls near the ceiling. Most of the shelves are stacked with boxes. Henry shakes his head. _Can you imagine how many more of these things there are at Mom and Dad's work?_

_Yeah._ Jack says. _It's almost scary, isn't it?_

_Just proves nothing is more badass than our family._

That makes Jack laugh. _ Just help me find the books._

It takes them about five minutes. Jack is standing on an old desk, trying to reach the top shelves. Henry tips open a box under the desk and pauses. _Jack._

Jack glances down. _You find them?_

Henry nods. _A lot of them._ He drags the box out from under the desk and tips it over, spilling books across the ground. Henry reaches down and picks one up. _What is this?_

Jack makes a face. _I don't know. I know Uncle Bobby is into the occult, but I didn't realize it was this bad._ He looks from the book to his little brother. _Does that mean Mom and Dad are into this too?_

_I dunno._ Henry crouches down and picks up the books, placing them back in the box. _There's only one thing to do. Help me get these up to our room. We'll hide them there._

_That won't work against Uncle Spencer._

_No, but it will work against Aunt Jessica._ Henry says with a grin.

Jack smirks. _Got it._ He grabs the other side of the box and helps Henry carry it up the stairs.

/-/

At the Rizzoli house, Jane does homework in her room while Frankie helps their parents with the dinner dishes. She reaches out with her mind, as she has always been able to do, touching each person in turn. Her ma and pa, down the hall in the kitchen, laughing and happy. Frankie is with them, enjoying the extra attention from his parents. He reaches out and touches Jane's mind in return. Frankie has always been able to respond to her to some degree. Now his skill is even better.

Next on her checklist are Jack and Henry. Jane is still not familiar with the idea of other people being attached to her family. She's closer to two boys who are not related to her than she is with her own parents. She's not used to reaching out and finding someone other than her brother touching her back. It warms her more than she's willing to admit.

Finding the BAU family was a blessing. It showed – and still shows – that Jane can have her family.

_Aren't you supposed to be doin' homework?_ Frankie teases. Jane laughs to herself.

_I am! I'm just thinkin' as well._

_Sounds heavy for thinkin'._ Frankie starts to say more, but Jane doesn't hear him.

There's something outside. She can feel the foreign presence against her mind, reaching out. It's like nothing she's ever experienced before – a black hole of nothing that tries to suck her in. She sits up on her bed, eyes narrowed. Her gaze snaps to the window.

She can't see it. She knows it's there. There's a thin strip of scrawny trees that separate her house from the neighbor's. She suspects that's where it is. Still, she doesn't get up. There's nothing to be gained by trying to find the damned thing.

_Jane?_

_It's here._

There's a long pause. _We should get Jack and Henry._

Jane sighs and returns her focus to her textbook. _What good would that do? I can handle this._

_There's a difference between handling something and being stupid._

_You're supposed to be 11. Why are you acting all smart?_

_Cuz you're acting dumb._

_Now that's my brother._

_Hey!_

Jane sets aside her textbook. No studying will get done this night. She sighs. _It's like Jack said. There's nothing we can do until we know who he is. And the cops won't buy the Slenderman._

_It's still a thought._ He sounds so sulky Jane has to laugh.

Outside, a tall, slim figure watches from the trees. Soon, her power will belong to him.

/-/

An: I'm so sorry for the long update time! My new work schedule is hectic because I'm still in training. Hopefully another update will be quick in coming.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I am so sorry for the long update time! This is why me and multi-chap stories no longer get along – I just forget about them. *blushes* I'm sorry. Feel free to poke me if you think I'm taking too long between updates, okay?

**ch 5**

Dean is almost disappointed that he didn't get to see Hotch ream out the detective. As it stands, the whole affair was handled rather privately, and when Hotch and Farrow come back into the FBI's room, the detective is more than a little pale. Hotch glances at Dean. "They found the father."

Dean winces. "Dead?"

"Yes." He motions for Dean to follow him. The two make their way back to the FBI room. "On their watch, too. They were downstairs sleeping." Dean makes a scoffing noise. Hotch glances at him. "What do you know about this town?"

"Not a lot." Dean says. "I – well, this is where I used to live, before my mom died." He shakes his head. "I've only been back once, and that was about the old house. I don't really know anything that would help out here."

Hotch nods. "I didn't think so. Figured I'd ask, anyway."

Sam brushes against the back of Dean's mind, curious. Dean sends him a silent command to come. Sam responds with an affirmative. They know each other well enough that words are not always needed in this new connection. Sam meets them with the rest of the team. Hotch simply motions for them to come and leaves again.

Reid is quick to walk beside Hotch. _So, where are we going?_

_Crime scene._ Hotch says silently. _The father was found dead about an hour ago. I want a look before the locals contaminate it._

_Don't have a lot of faith in them, do you?_ Prentiss asks.

_No._

They all pile into the vans – Sam and Dean wind up riding with Rossi and Prentiss. Dean watches the way the group splits off. Rossi and Prentiss, JJ and Morgan, Hotchner and Reid. There's no discussion, they just naturally fall into place. Dean finally just asks. "How do you guys do that?"

Rossi just laughs. "You have to ask?"

"Spencer seems to keep close to Hotchner." Sam observes.

"Hotch is protective." Prentiss says dismissively. "Reid never really had a dad, so Hotch stepped in. We take care of each other, but they're particularly close."

"Huh." It's all Sam can really say. He wonders what happened to Reid's dad, then decides it's not worth bringing up. The topic of fathers appears to be a touchy one all the way around. He definitely doesn't want to discuss John Winchester with these guys. Or anyone.

They arrive at the crime scene. Hotch reaches out to his team. _Reid, help the Winchesters. Find out if there's anything here we shouldn't be messing with. Prentiss, JJ, you take the forensic guys. Ride their asses. They learn anything, I know about it. The rest of us – profile. This guy is getting way too ahead of us, and I want to know what's going on._ The others nod. Reid teams up with the Winchesters, quietly explaining the plan.

Hotch calls Garcia. "Anything?"

"_Unfortunately, sir, that is a negative."_ Garcia says sourly. _"Honestly, I don't really know what I'm looking for. You're gonna have to give me something before I can work my magic."_

"I understand." Hotch looks at the house. "I think, after today, I'll have something."

"_Oh good. Be safe, Hotch."_

He smiles. "I will. Are you actually going home today, or are you sleeping in the office again?"

"_You're on a case. Which do you think?"_

"Check on the boys for me?"

"_Will do boss-man. I'll give you an update tomorrow."_

"Thanks, Garcia."

She sends him the impression of a kiss. _"Always."_ With that she hangs up, but her presence isn't far from her mind. It makes Hotch feel better, knowing Garcia is safe at headquarters. It means one less person he has to worry about.

Reid interrupts his thoughts. _You need to see this._

Hotch sends back affirmative and enters the house. The stench of blood assaults his nose. Reid and Sam stand just outside of the actual crime scene. Despite himself, Sam looks a little green. Dean is nowhere to be seen. Hotch's gaze slides past them to the wall. His eyes widen.

"What the hell is that?" It looks like a horned scull of some sort, but it doesn't resemble any animal Hotch has ever seen.

"I have no clue." Sam says. "I took a picture of it. When we get the chance, I'll send it to Bobby."

"Garcia may be able to bring something up on it, too." Reid says. "That's not all. Dean found something else in the basement. He's still checking it out."

Hotch nods. _What do you make of this?_

_No clue. I'm starting to suspect that this isn't a normal unsub, or at least, normal for us._

JJ's voice interrupts them. _We have fingerprints that don't belong to the family. We're having the locals send them to headquarters._

Hotch nods to himself. _This may just be the break we need._ Anything to get ahead of this guy. His timetable is steady, at least. He doesn't seem to be escalating. Hotch doesn't know if that should relieve or concern him. All suspects eventually devolve. This one doesn't seem to be.

Reid has his head tilted to the side, listening in on Dean. He's quietly telling him and Sam what he's found, and Reid relays the information to Hotch. _There's a box of tapes in the basement. Old Super-8 films. Dean says they're all marked by event and date._

_Have Dean bring them up. That's evidence._

In the kid's bedroom, JJ puts her phone away and turns to the mother. "Do you have Super-8 films?" she asks.

The woman blinks, clearly startled. "What are those?"

_Hotch, they don't belong to the family._

_Then that's definitely evidence._

The group finally leaves the house, new information in hand. Hotch looks back at the house, a sick feeling in his gut. Nothing about this case is going the way he expected, and it frightens him. The last thing he wants is his family at risk.

But that's what's going to happen. He knows it.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: You know, I had half this chapter written up, then my computer crashed. And of course, did I save? No. I'm the one who always saves, but not this time. *sighs* Well, here goes.

**ch 6**

It startles Jack when an older woman greets him at Jane's door instead of Jane herself. The woman smiles at him. "You must be Jack Hotchner." She reaches out to take his hand.

Jack doesn't take it. He just stands there, staring at her before he finally just gives up and shakes her hand. "I guess you're Jane's ma?" he asks hesitantly. The woman nods.

"That's right. I'm Angela, but you can call me Miss Rizzoli. I moved here after my husband was hurt." Jack reaches out, brushing against her mind. He can really only pick up on superficial emotions, barely any thoughts, and only if he intentionally does so. Henry and Frankie are the same way. Uncle Spencer always figured it was because of being around so many awakened people all the time. Still, Jack can taste the sorrow in the woman. Her husband's injury is recent.

Now Jack feels bad for never asking, but he never sensed anything in Jane to suggest that she was upset. He tilts his head back. "Ma'am, where's Jane?"

"She's upstairs. I want to talk to you." Angela crossed her arms over her chest. "How come I've never seen your parents?"

Jack almost sighs in relief. This, at least, is familiar ground. "My parents travel a lot." he says. "Henry and I stay home with our aunt. Sometimes, when Jane and Henry come over, it's just my aunt looking out for us. Either Aunt Jessica or Aunt Penny."

Angela nods. "And what do your parents do?"

"They're FBI agents."

_Jack, why would you tell her that?!_ Jane protests abruptly. _Now she's gonna go all crazy on you!_

_Why? What's wrong with the FBI?_

_Nothing, but – _

Angela's voice cuts off anything else Jane might hear. "I don't want you near my children again. You or your brother. Do you understand me, young man?"

Jack freezes. Not see Jane and Frankie again? That's not an option. Jane adopted them; she's family. Jack isn't going to abandon her just because her ma said so. "Why? What did I do?" he protests. "You can't take it out on us just because you don't like what my parents do!"

"Yes, I can." Angela turns away. "You are no longer allowed to come over here, and my children will no longer come to you, understand? Just stay away from them." With that she slams the door in Jack's face.

Jack just stands there for a moment, trying to comprehend. Finally, he reaches out. _Jane?_

_I'll find you tonight. I'll explain. Ma's being stupid._

Jack nods to himself and leaves. There's really nothing else he can do.

/-/

Night comes slowly for Jack and Henry. They wait outside Rossi's mansion, the only souls on the street at this time of night. Henry grips Jack's hand tightly. It reminds Jack of when Henry was little and had to go with his other dad on weekends. Will still comes to get Henry, but less frequently now. Henry doesn't like it when Will comes. The younger boy looks up at Jack.

_Will they come?_

_I don't know._ Jack says softly. _I think so. You know nothing's gonna keep Jane and Frankie away for long._ Henry sighs.

Five minutes later, the sound of footsteps draws their attention. Henry brightens and darts down the sidewalk, practically tackling Frankie. Jack shows more restraint when he greets Jane, but not much. He hugs her fiercely. "What's going on?" he whispers.

Jane shakes her head and pulls away. "Ma told you my pa got hurt, right?" Jack nods. "Well, thing is, my pa was a cop back in Boston. He was helping an FBI agent work a case out there. There was a shootout, and he got caught in the crossfire. He's in a wheelchair now. Could have happened to anyone, but Ma thinks it's the FBI's fault." Jane holds her hands up helplessly.

Frankie continues. "Yeah – ever since then, she hates cops. She hates the feds more, though." he says. "That's why we moved here. Jane wants to be a cop, and Ma thought if we got out of the city, Jane would stop thinking about it."

Henry nods. "Yeah – Dad gets this look on his face when Jack talks about joining the FBI."

Jack snorts. "What does he expect to happen? I'm going to be an accountant or something? How useless."

Frankie shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. Jane's gonna be a cop no matter what Ma says – and so am I." He glances at Jane. "It's important to us."

For a moment, the four are silent. Jack looks up at the sky. "You guys better head back. We don't want your ma finding out you were out here." he says softly.

Jane nods. _Don't worry. We ain't going anywhere, no matter what Ma says. No matter what, we stick together._

_Good._ Jack hugs her again, then hugs Frankie. Henry does the same. Together, the brothers watch Jane and Frankie leave. Henry looks up at Jack.

_I think we got our work cut out for us._

Jack smiles. _I think so too. Come on – let's get inside before Aunt Jessica notices._


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Holy crap an update! Stand back and stare in awe! Maybe the next one will come faster, now that I'm settling into my new job and my new home.

**ch 7**

The entire group gathers at the hotel room Hotch and Reid share. Prentiss watches with interest as Rossi sets up the first of the Super-8 films. "I didn't know we had a player for those things." she says. Rossi grins.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Emily." he teases. Emily rolls her eyes and throws a pen at him. Sam and Dean exchange grins. Reid leans back in his chair, watching his family. They're not exactly relaxed – after all, this is a case – but they are calm, for now.

"Just roll the tape and stop harassing the girls, David." Hotch says with a small grin. Rossi says something – Dean and Sam can't hear it – and Hotch bursts out laughing. Morgan joins him, and the others simply hide their sniggers.

Dean looks at them. "What? What did we miss?"

"Nothing they want to repeat in public." Reid laughs. Sam snickers. Rossi just sets up the first film.

"Well, here goes nothing." he says, sitting back with the others. The film shows a family cooking outside. The scene itself is completely normal, but there is something about it that just feels off. Rossi bites his lip, trying to figure it out.

Sam's the one who says it. "Who's filming the show?"

Prentiss shakes her head. "Are they being stalked?" she wonders.

The film cuts to a different scene. The family, trapped inside a car, then the car on fire. They can hear the family screaming. Distantly, Hotch knows Garcia is hiding in her office, door locked and hands over her ears.

It ends quickly. The group is left speechless. Distantly, Prentiss is aware her hands are shaking; JJ is as well. Reid speaks first.

"Did you see it?"

Dean blinks. "See what?"

"The symbol from the last crime scene was there."

This snaps Hotch out of his stunned stupor. He reaches out to Garcia. _Are you okay?_

_What the hell was that?_ she demands. _Warn a girl!_

_I'm sorry – it took us by surprise as well. _He hugs her the best he can. _Listen, I need some help with this, okay? I need you to do your thing._

_Okay._ Slowly, she stops trembling in his mind. _Okay. What do you need?_

_We still have three more videos left. If they're all like this, then they all have murders on them. I'm going to tell you the basic information, and you go through the computers to find these crimes. Okay?_ He senses her nod. _Okay._ Quickly, he describes the family and the method of death.

Reid pipes up. _Check from the 70s. The car is that model._

_Okay, okay._

Dean looks at them. "Geez, I know you're talking, but I can't hear a thing. What is going on?"

"We're having Garcia look for these crimes." Morgan says quietly. "Maybe we'll find a pattern."

Dean looks down at his phone. "Before you start any of the other films, let me check with Bobby. Maybe he's dug something up on that symbol."

Sam nods. "Good idea." _Be careful though, okay? I really don't like the way this is playing out._ Especially with Castiel still MIA, but Sam doesn't bring that up. He doesn't need Dean to worry any more than he already is.

_Neither do I._ Dean leaves the room. Sam watches him go, keeping an eye on him even after he is out of sight. It makes Dean smile. This is the first time he's ever felt his little brother's over-protectiveness of him. It's like he's the younger one instead of Sam. Then again, they're both trouble magnets. He quickly dials Bobby's number.

"_Hey, idgit. Ya didn't really think I'd leave ya high and dry, did ya?"_

Dean sighs in relief. "Please tell me that means you've found something."

"_Yeah, I found something. Not sure you wanna hear it, though."_

"Anything. We've got no clues."

"_Okay. Is the rest of the group with you? They're gonna need to hear this."_

Dean walks back into the hotel room. Immediately, all eyes are on him. He shifts uncomfortably and sets the phone down on the table. "You're on speaker, Bobby."

"_All right, agents, for your first hunt, I think you've bitten off more than you can chew."_ Bobby warns them. _"There's a creature called Bughuul. It's something of a pagan deity, although why anyone would want to worship it is beyond me. It feasts on the souls of children."_

Morgan blinks. "The souls of children?"

"_Yeah. Apparently it likes to take them away to some kind of pocket world and keeps them there until there's nothing left. Then, when it's all said and done, he goes after another child."_

Hotch considers, trying to stop his head from spinning. Angels, demons, now this – it's all too much to take in. So his mind shuts down, choosing to deal with one thing at a time. "Bobby, is there any chance the children are still alive?"

"_Probably, considering how many it's taken."_ the older man replies. _"Good luck finding them, though. The last time we had to deal with pocket worlds it took an angel to get the boys out."_

"Don't give away all our dirty secrets, Bobby." Dean complains mildly.

"How do we kill it?" Sam wonders. "If we can kill it, the pocket world will probably destroy itself."

"_I'll get back to you on that."_ A pause. _"Be careful, guys. I'm still going through the literature, but I'm not liking what I'm finding."_

Dean smiles. "Will do, Bobby." With that he reaches out and closes the phone. He smiles grimly at the agents. "Welcome to our world."

"I think I want to leave now." JJ says faintly. "This isn't cool anymore."

"Was it ever?" Prentiss asks distantly.

Hotch looks at Reid. His youngest is still, staring at the Super-8 films with a blank look on his face. He reaches out to Reid. _Are you okay?_

_I think Bobby is right._ Reid says softly. _I think we shouldn't be here._

_What about the children?_

Reid smiles faintly. _Why do you think I'm not forcing you guys to pack?_

Hotch sighs. _We're going to get through this, Reid. You have my word, no matter what._


	8. Chapter 8

AN: See? Regular updates once again! Please review and let me know you're still reading this. I hope I haven't lost all my readers.

**ch 8**

Jack is jerked out of sleep by Jane's screams. He practically vaults out of bed and darts over to Henry (they still share a room). The younger boy is curled up in a ball, hands over his ears – as if that will help block out the awful sound. Jack pulls on his wrist. _Come on, Henry, gotta get up, we gotta help!_ Slowly, he coaxes his little brother out of his ball and at least into shoes.

They're racing down the street to Jane and Frankie's house when Jack reaches out, trying to figure out what exactly is going on. What he gets from Jane and Frankie doesn't reassure him. Their parents are gone on a date, they aren't supposed to be home for another two hours, and the faceless man is inside the house.

Inside. He's never come inside before. That simple fact chills Jack's blood. Beside him, running as fast as he can (Henry has never been athletic), Henry whimpers.

_What are we gonna do? We can't let it hurt her!_

_I know._ Jack replies. _Let's just get there. One step at a time, okay?_ Henry nods.

They make it to the Rizzoli house in record time. The front door is locked – they go around to Frankie's window and get in that way, then it's a mad dash up the stairs to the little attic that Jane made her room. When they get there, they freeze.

Frankie has his arms wrapped around Jane's waist, sobbing, cussing, doing everything he can to pull her away. The faceless man has her wrist locked in his grip, and he's not letting go. Jane's mouth is open in a silent scream as she digs her heels in.

But this isn't a physical battle, and Jack knows that. He can sense the dark void the being is trying to suck Jane into. In a flash, he and Henry join Frankie, touching instead of pulling, and Jack latches on to Jane's mind.

_Stay with me._ he whispers. _Stay with me._

He's almost surprised by the force with which Jane holds on to him. Henry and Frankie follow his lead, holding on to Jane and providing an anchor against the darkness.

It feels like it takes forever. It probably takes a few seconds. Suddenly the man is gone, and the four of them fall into a heap on the floor. Frankie automatically crawls into Jane's lap, holding on to his sister like a lifeline. Jack and Henry cling to her too, and to Frankie, trying to comfort both of them when they were all scared half to death.

Slowly, Jane recovers enough to hug them back. _Thank you._ she whispers.

Jack tightens his grip. _From now on, when your parents are gone, you're staying with us. Got it?_ He won't let this happen again.

Jane chuckles. _Will do, Agent Hotchner._

_Oh, hush._

/-/

It surprises Hotch to have his phone ring in the middle of the night, but he answers it anyway. "Hotchner."

"_Dad?"_

"Jack?" Instantly he's awake. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"_I'm fine."_ his son is quick to reassure him. Still, Jack rarely bothers him during a case; he waits for Hotch to call him. This must be serious. _"Just – Dad, something is after Jane."_

Hotch freezes. "Something?"

"_Yeah. We've seen it a few times – it looks like a tall man in a suit, but it doesn't have a face."_ He can hear the tremor in Jack's voice. _"Tonight it attacked her."_

Hotch doesn't ask if they've gone to the cops. Reports of faceless men would not go heeded by the local police. In fact, if he didn't know better, he would tell Jack that he was probably just having a nightmare, or didn't see clearly. Knowing what he does now, he fears for the kids. "Is she okay?"

"_I think so. As okay as she can be. It didn't leave any marks."_

Nothing physical, at any rate. Hotch keeps his own emotions level; the last thing the team needs is something else to worry about. He'll let them know in the morning. Maybe Sam and Dean would know what's going on, or Bobby.

"Keep Jane and Frankie at the house." he says. There's enough protection charms on that place to keep out almost anything. Castiel helped them set it up after the incident with Alan. Alan may not have been a supernatural threat, but the charms would let other hunters know that they were not evil. Just fellow hunters like them.

"_Her ma won't go for it."_

"Don't let her mom know." Hotch says. "Do whatever you need to to keep Jane and Frankie at the house at night. We'll wrap this up as fast as we can, and we'll figure out what's going on when we get home. Okay?"

He hates it, but it's the best he can do. Jack sighs. _"Okay. Thanks, Dad. Sorry I woke you."_

"If you hadn't, we would have had words when I got home." Hotch points out. "Keep her safe, Jack. She's your responsibility now." She's your sister went unsaid.

"_I know. Good night."_

"Night."

With that his son hangs up. Hotch stares at the phone for a moment. He wants, more than anything, to drop this case and go home. Protect his children and his family in the same move, because anything that worries Reid is more than enough to worry him. They've stayed alive for this long by listening to Reid's instincts.

But there are more children at risk than just his, and he has to do his job. Otherwise, why is he even in the FBI?


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Grr. I swear, I'm not neglecting this story on purpose. I'm just not used to writing multi-chap stories, so I forget it's actually here. I promise, I'm going to do what it takes to get this story done before or during October. You have my word.

**ch 9**

By the next morning, Garcia manages to find details on all of the murders. Rossi and Dean are on the phone with her when Hotch joins them in the police station. He frowns slightly. _Where are the others?_ he asks.

_JJ and Prentiss are at the latest one, and Reid and Morgan are talking with the schools to find other potential victims._ Rossi says. Hotch nods. The other officers swarm around them, passing around papers, looking up evidence, trying to do as much of the work as they possibly could.

Hotch doesn't foresee them being useful. Actually, with a sickening feeling, he realizes this time his team will pay the price. His instincts are still screaming for him to just pack up his team and _leave_, and Jack's phone call last night is not helping matters. Rossi puts a hand on his shoulder, drawing him from dark thoughts._ There's nothing else we can do._

_There should be._ Hotch says sourly. _There has to be some way – _

_To protect all of them? We knew going into this job that wasn't possible._

_Yeah, well, it should be._ He returns his focus to Dean. "Where's Sam?"

"Doing his own brand of research." Dean shakes his head. "I don't know how he stands being in this place. Gives me the creeps." Hotch just nods understanding. Dean motions to the phone. "Garcia was just telling us about the murders."

"_Hey Hotch!"_ Garcia calls over the phone. _"Okay, here's what I got."_ She rattles off the list of deaths – location, number dead, and date – and Hotch feels himself go cold. _"And Hotch, there's another problem."_

Another? "What is it?"

"_In each of these cases, a child went missing. The youngest."_

Hotch and Rossi exchange looks. Dean watches them. "Okay, something's up. You guys look scared, and whatever scares you, I want to know about it."

For a moment, Hotch debates whether he should say anything. But the Winchesters are family, and you don't lie to family. "Reid." he says simply. "He's our youngest."

"I really don't think that this thing operates like that." Dean is quick to reassure them. "I mean, it keeps taking kids, right? And Spencer is not a kid." Once again, Rossi and Hotch exchange almost panicked looks. Dean sighs, but doesn't say anything. After all, if he thought there was even the slightest chance that something would go after Sam (or Cas), he wouldn't rest easy until it was dead. He wouldn't let Sam out of his sight until it was dead.

In that way, he knows the team is a lot like him and his brother. Desperate to protect each other, no matter what. He wonders, briefly, if they're just as doomed to failure as the Winchesters are, then shakes the thoughts away. They have a job to do.

The two agents are still talking with Garcia – mostly asking her to check if there are similar crimes within Reid's age group – when Dean's phone rings. "Sam?" It surprises him. They stopped using phones on their cases a long time ago.

"_Put me on speakerphone and get someplace quiet. The team needs to hear this."_

Dean motions for Hotch and Rossi to follow him. They take the phone and hole up in a quiet, out-of-the-way room. "Okay. Lay it on us."

"_Okay, so Bughuul doesn't just take random people and kill random families. Someone has to be directing them."_ Sam says. _"There are things that have to stay the same. Always the youngest, always kills the family – usually just the father, but there have been reports of entire families slaughtered by this thing. Apparently it possesses the kids it takes away and makes them kill."_

Dean groans. "Lovely." he mutters. "So how do we kill it?"

"_That's the kicker – I don't know. And here's another one for you – it's not limited to just kids."_

That has Hotch's attention. "What do you mean?"

"_Apparently, it always takes the youngest and kills the father. The kid doesn't have to be a kid – and the father doesn't have to be related by blood."_

There is a very long pause. Rossi feels like he's been sucker punched in the gut. The thought of losing Reid and Hotch – the two people who make up the core of their family – is unbearable. His turbulent emotions are alerting the others, but he doesn't bother to hide them this time. Instead he reaches out, automatically checking in on each of them. He reaches out for Reid last.

His blood runs cold. _Hotch._

Hotch reaches out with the same results. Reid is not there. The entire team seems to have noticed at about the same time. Morgan is frantic, searching the bathrooms of the elementary school they were investigating.

_I swear, Hotch, he was right here!_ His panic is rising, and suddenly it dawns on them all.

Reid isn't just missing. He's gone. There's not a single hint of him in their souls, nothing but a hole where he used to be. The shock hits Hotch hard; Rossi grabs his arm in an attempt to steady him, but ultimately, Dean winds up guiding both of them to the floor.

He looks at Rossi; the older agents seems more coherent than Hotch. "Spencer is gone, isn't he?"

"Not just gone." Rossi's voice sounds dead. It's the shock – nothing should be able to block their bond so completely. Drugs could make it hazy, make it go away after a very long time, but not cut them off like this. He's drawn from his thoughts when Hotch snaps out of it and starts calling out for Reid.

Rossi takes over. _Everyone back to the hotel._ he orders. _The locals can't help us anymore._

_I'm coming._ Garcia says suddenly. _I'll be out on the first flight I can get._

_No._ JJ says abruptly. _Stay there, Pen. We don't know if this is a trap._

_But Reid!_

_Please. Stay there. He won't want you getting hurt over him._ JJ's words seem to placate Garcia for the moment. They snap Hotch back into himself; he stops calling out, and Rossi is relieved to see life come back to his eyes. They can actually get out of here without raising suspicions now. He pulls Hotch back to his feet.

_Are you okay now?_

_Now. For now._ Hotch takes a steadying breath and turns to Dean. "Can you have Sam meet us at the hotel?"

"He'll be on his way." Dean says. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize this could happen." He thought only Winchesters had such bad luck.

Hotch nods. "We know. Come on. Let's get out of here."

/-/

Reid doesn't know how it happened. One minute he was walking into the bathroom, the next he felt something grab his arm and _tug._

He didn't have time to cry out, to reach for Morgan, to do anything but watch the world around him vanish.

It takes him a moment to realize the severity of what has happened. The team is gone. For the first time, he's alone inside his own head. The only other presence is decidedly _not human_, and it terrifies him. He reaches out, instinctively seeking Hotch, only to come up empty. It simply scares him all over, brings back memories of seeing him broken at the bottom of a deep hole.

The other presence makes itself known. **Spencer Reid. Welcome home.**

Reid screams.


	10. Authors Note

One massive author's note for your enjoyment! Huzzah! Not really, but here we go -

Okay, so I'm not actually abandoning this story. I just really don't do multi-chap stories very well anymore, so I'm going to take it down and make two separate one-shots out of it, one for Shadows Within and one for Children of the Darkness. Same plots, same characters, but condensed into a few chapters, not this massive thing I keep forgetting about. I want it finished.

So once I get everything situated, I'm going to take this story down. I just wanted you guys to know that this isn't being abandoned, and neither is the series. Actually, remember how I said this was the last of the Shadows Within? I lied. As long as I have ideas, I will continue to post stories here. There will be no official ending to the series, just long periods of absolutely nothing being posted. The same applies to the Children of the Darkness stories.

Okay, everyone good? Good. I'm really sorry, but at least this way you guys won't be sitting there staring at the screen going 'why hasn't she updated yet? Get to it!'

Forever yours,

Shadowblade-tara


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